I would definitely agree that coming up with a study plan and selecting the proper study material for you, was what worked for me. After 6 months of studying off-on, studying out dated study material,
and several Youtube videos, I severely failed on my first attempt. Needless to say, my 35 contact hours of formal project management education did not do a good job of indicating/ preparing on what to
expect on expect. After my awakening, I first realize to invest both time and money on study material. Rita Mulcahy/ RMC Learning Solutions and PMBOK were definitely the two musts but question formats
were not in-line with exam questions at my exam center. Cornelius Fichtner on-line study guide situational questions were very much in line. Remember, exam is not about memorizing QA, it's about understanding
overall principles and applications.